Starting Over
by luveverythingtv
Summary: Oneshot, semi-AU. "Alex has just walked out of the apartment, again, leaving Piper there alone." Piper leaves Alex in Paris feeling meaningless. How does Piper give herself meaning and how does Alex come back into her life? Summary is terrible, I know. But please R&R!


A/N: Hey this was supposed to be for Memorial Day. I have no idea how I thought of this. I know nothing about the Army so I left that out. I hope you like it. Also just a thank you to all active and veteran military members, I respect and thank you for your service.

* * *

Alex has just walked out of the apartment, again, leaving Piper there alone. Piper had tears in her eyes as she gently sat on the crisp white king sized bed.

Piper and Alex have been in Paris for about a month and a half, and Piper honestly knows more about what is going on in the bell boys life than she does her own girlfriends. Alex has been working non-stop. Any time Piper tries to get the brunette to go out with her, even for dinner, Alex scoffs and says "Babe, I'm working. Just take my card and get something to eat."

Piper wonders how many times she has been left in the apartment feeling alone, useless, and unimportant; too many times in recent months.

Piper looked out the window and sarcastically thought, ' _Yeah, this really is the city of love.'_

Piper then looked around the apartment as she realized that's all it was, an apartment. This place wasn't home. Alex was her home, but Alex was never here.

* * *

Piper was sitting on the bed watching TV when the apartment phone rang. Piper sighed and answered the phone, "Hello?"

The person on the other line said, "Hey Pipe, how you doing? Is Alex there?"

Piper smiled slightly hearing Diane's voice, "Hey Diane. I'm ok. Alex isn't here, she is... she's out."

Piper tried to keep her voice steady, trying to hide the pain from Diane, but Diane is way to intuitive for that to work.

"She working?" Diane asked.

Piper chuckled humorlessly, "Do you even have to ask."

Diane sighed and said, "She can be a dumb ass sometimes, that daughter of mine. How you holding up though?"

Piper paused and said, "Diane, I-I'm tired. I'm tired of being alone, of feeling so unwanted, so.. broken. I know she loves me, I do... but I don't know how much more I can take."

Diane was silent for a second, "You're a good kid. I know you wouldn't leave to hurt my Alex... But you do know she will be crushed if you leave. She loves you."

Piper let out a small sob, "I know. And I love her, so much. But, I can't keep carrying this relationship alone."

Diane said, "Piper you do what ever you need to, to get make yourself right. Yeah Alex will be hurt but to be honest she has no one to blame besides herself."

Piper sighed and said, "I am so sorry. I really am trying. I-I don't want to leave."

"Piper maybe this is what you two need. You need to find yourself again and Alex needs to understand her mistakes.. Look I have to go, but what ever you decide, make sure you don't forget about me." Diane said sadly, knowing deep down that this was one of the last times that she is going to be talking to Piper as Alex's girlfriend.

Piper smiled, "Oh course. You are more like a mother to me than my own. I love you."

Diane took a calming breath and said, "I love you too Piper. You take care."

With that the two hung up.

Piper then made a decision. She needed to leave.

* * *

Piper spend the rest of the day collecting her things and packing her suitcase. She booked herself a flight back to the states and waited for Alex to come home.

It wasn't until almost 11:30pm did Alex come walking back into the apartment.

Alex was ranting about her most recent mules and how Farhi was losing his shit because they were behind schedule.

Alex walked into the bedroom and kicked off her sneakers. Alex saw Piper sitting on the bed staring out the window, "Pipes. Hey, Piper did you hear me?! This shit is fuck up all of my plans. Do you think you could carry the suitcase for me? I swear it would be the only time I ask."

Piper shook her head slightly and said, "I-I I can't do this anymore."

Alex looked confused and asked, "What? Can't do what?"

Piper stood up and pointed between herself and Alex, "This. You, me, your job. I can't do this."

Alex gaped at Piper, "Are you serious! You are doing this now? Now, when I need you?!"

Piper furiously stood up and said, "You need me?! No! What you need is a mule! Don't you dare throw the 'I need you' card. I told you from day one that I could accept your job but I didn't want ANYTHING to do with it! And now here you are asking me to do the ONE thing I said I never wanted to get involved it!? I can't even."

Alex took a step forward trying to calm the blonde, "Ok. You're right. I'm sorry. Look I will figure this out, ok. How about you take my card and go get a massage and a new dress."

Piper threw her hands up in the air frustrated, "NO ALEX! I don't want your fucking money Alex! I'm not a mule! You don't need to show off and impress me! I don't want a spa treatment, or a massage, or a new dress!"

Alex then groaned and said, "Then what do you want?!"

Piper sadly licked her lips and tried to hold back the tears, "You. I just wanted you. But you obviously don't want just me."

Alex felt the air leave her body, "Pipes..."

Piper shook her head and walked past Alex. She went into the closet and grabbed her suitcase, wheeling it out.

Alex stuttered, "P-pppipper..nnoo. Please I'll work less I swear, please! Don't leave, please don't leave!"

Piper wiped her tears and grabbed her suitcase, "I love you Alex, I probably always will. I hope you find someone who you can love as much as your job; even if it isn't me."

Piper then grabbed her bag and walked out of the apartment, trying to ignore Alex's cries.

* * *

After Piper left Alex destroyed their apartment. In a fit of anger and pure sadness she swiped everything off of her dresser.

Once everything crashed to the ground a picture of her and Piper floated to the ground.

The picture was taken by a random couple but it showed Alex and Piper smiling in an embrace, foreheads touching and eyes closed. They looked so in love it was basically a hallmark card. It was one of Alex's favorite pictures of the two of them.

Alex clutched the picture and cried.

Alex was cleaning out her drawers when she came across the photo. Alex gazed at the picture and sighed.

Alex hated to think about how happy she used to be, before she let her work take over her life, and fuck up the one good relationship she had ever had.

It has been almost 5 years since Piper left Alex in Paris. To say a lot has changed would be an understatement.

Alex no longer works for the cartel. She is working as a legit importer, an importer of fine and rare art pieces. The work is way less stressful than her previous job but the pay is good (really good), it's legal, and she still gets to organize and plan.

Alex likes to think that Piper is out there somewhere proud of her.

Alex hasn't seen, spoken to, or heard anything about the blonde. Alex always just figured she went back to the states and became a nice WASP-y lady like she was raised to be.

Alex was sitting in her apartment bored. Her boss forced her to take a couple of days off after she handled a huge import from Egypt.

Alex is watching the news on TV but she isn't really paying attention. The last thing she heard before turning the TV off was something about the US Army successfully completing a mission last week; something that would help protect hundreds of thousands of people.

Alex groaned and dropped her head on the back of her couch. Alex started thinking of the things she could do, " _cleaning. nah place is spotless. I can't work. It's way too early for visiting. Nicky is at work. My mom... my mom is off."_

Alex then decided that she would surprise her mom on her singular day off, and spend some time with her.

* * *

The drive from NYC to upstate wasn't bad, it only took about an hour and a half.

Alex pulled up to her mom's apartment complex and sighed. She wished her mother would have agreed to a new apartment in a better building. The area wasn't bad it could just use a make over.

Alex got out of her car and knocked on the door. Both mother and daughter were surprised. Alex was surprised to see her mom dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Usually on her days off she lounged around in sweats and a tank all day.

Diane was surprised to see her daughter standing outside her door.

Diane smiled and grabbed Alex pulling her into a hug. "Alex what are you doing here? Everything alright?"

Alex nodded and said, "Yeah I just wanted to see you and surprise you."

Diane opened the door and chuckled, "Bullshit. You were bored."

Alex tried to keep a straight face but couldn't. They both fell into laughter. When both could breathe properly again Alex asked, "Why are you dressed? Don't you usually lounge in sweats on your days off? Or do you have a hot date?"

Diane rolled her eyes, "Yeah I usually do, but I got something I need to do today."

Alex smirked and said, "Oh yeah, what?"

Diane flicked Alex in the arm playfully and said, "I am picking up a friend from the airport. Her ass hole family couldn't be bothered."

Alex nodded and said, "Sucks. What time you picking them up?"

Diane looked at the clock and said, "I'm leaving now. You can stay here if you want.. or come."

Alex shrugged and said, "I'll go. If I wanted to sit on a couch and watch TV I would have stayed home."

Diane opened the door and said, "Well come on then, move that ass. We gotta go."

Alex chuckled as she left the apartment and headed to her mom's car, knowing she would insist on driving.

* * *

Alex and Diane were talking and catching up when Alex finally asked, "So who exactly are we picking up?"

Diane bit her lip.

Alex looked at Diane, "Mom. Who are we picking up?"

Diane sighed and said, "Piper."

Alex looked at her mom with big, scared, confused eyes, "WHAT! Why?! Mom seriously!? Why? I-I can't..."

Diane took Alex's hand as she pulled into an airport temporary parking space. "Listen Alex. After you two broke up Piper would call me sometimes. You know 'Happy Thanksgiving' 'Merry Christmas/Happy New Year' 'Happy Birthday'. She. She went through some things after you twos broke up. I just never told you cause I could see how much it would hurt."

Alex looked at Diane holding back her tears, "Ok fine. But why are we picking her up? Doesn't she have family? Couldn't they have picked her up?"

Diane shook her head and said, "That 'family' of hers. You know how she never introduced you to them, consider yourself lucky. Bunch of WASP-y assholes. All about appearance with them. Look I know you two have history and it ended badly but, she needs someone in her corner. Especially with what she has been through recently."

Alex was about to ask, 'been through?' But Diane was opening her car door.

Alex and Diane made their way through the crowds of people until they arrived at Terminal 9.

They were just in time, the plane was just now allowing passengers off the plane.

The passenger were getting off the plane looking tired but happy to be home.

Alex was looking for Piper's blonde hair and tall athletic frame, wearing jeans and a sweater, but couldn't see her.

Next the terminal erupted in applause and people saying thank you. Alex turned her attention back to the people disembarking the plane. Military. There were 5 US Army soldiers. They hugged each other and then turned and looked around for their families.

Alex smiled as a kid ran to their dad and jumped into his arms.

Alex looked at Diane and asked, "You sure this is the right place? Did she even make her flight?"

Diane didn't say anything just nodded. Alex was still looking for Piper to no avail. Alex then noticed her mom moving.

Diane smiled at one of the soldiers, who was saying good-bye to a friend, and waked over.

Alex was curious but stayed put.

Diane then opened her arms and the soldier smiled and walked into them, hugging tightly.

The hug lasted longer than Alex would have expected, but she guessed her mom wanted to thank the soldier for their service.

It wasn't until the soldier took off the standard Army issued camouflage cap, did Alex see blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun.

Alex finally looked at the soldiers face and gasped, "Piper."

Piper still hadn't seen Alex. Diane pulled Piper into another hug before walking back towards Alex.

Diane was walking and talking with Piper about having a girls night when she realized that Piper had stopped walking and was staring straight ahead.

Diane looked at what, or rather who Piper was staring at and smiled.

Diane smiled and said something about wanting a pretzel, going to the bathroom, and meeting them back at the car before walking off giving Piper and Alex a minute alone.

Alex was the first to move. She slowly and cautiously walked towards Piper.

Piper took a few steps and they met in the middle. Both just looked at the other.. Except for Piper's more noticeable muscles and Alex's lack of blue tips, neither really looked any different.

Piper smiled at Alex and said, "Hi."

Alex smirked and said, "Hey Kid."

Alex then unexpectedly took another step forward and wrapped Piper in a tight hug, loving how Piper still fit perfectly into her body. Piper returned the hug and breathed in Alex's familiar scent.

When they pulled apart both just looked at each other. Alex roamed her eyes up and down Piper's body. Alex then looked back at Piper and said, "Shit kid, this really isn't what I expected when I thought about you."

Piper smiled loving that Alex thought about her at least once in these past 5 years. Piper nodded and said, "Honestly, me either. But you know life and all."

Alex looked at Piper, "Piper what happened?"

Piper sighed, "Short version. I left you and I felt a part of me die. I was living on Polly's couch until she said I was being pathetic and needed to get up and move on. And I did, I was working in a law office as an office assistant. But then Polly spilled the beans about us traveling together and being together while at a Chapman, mandatory, family and friends dinner. So I finally told my family about us, our relationship, where we traveled. The look on my mother's face basically confirmed that I was disowned. They all stopped speaking to me, except for my brother Cal, but he and his girlfriend are off in the wilderness somewhere. And Polly had her own shit going on. So then suddenly it was really just me.. Alone. I wanted a purpose, so I joined the Army. I had one tour, and now I'm back. My contract just ended. Now.. I don't know."

Alex had tears in her eyes after Piper told her about what happened, "Pipes, I am so sorry. I think about Paris and the way I treated you and I hate myself. Once I left the cartel I wished I could contact you, show you prove to you I wasn't the same asshole you left in Paris."

Piper smiled sadly at Alex, "Alex, honestly all that is in the past. I- I don't want to think about it. I'm not the same person I was 5 years ago. I don't even recognize myself sometimes. And I'm guessing you aren't the same. So how about we both start fresh, with our new selves."

Alex smiled and said, "Hey you G.I Jane, I'm skipping this airport before we get thrown out by TSA. Wanna come?"

Piper threw her head back and laughed. Then lightly shoved Alex in the shoulder, grabbed her bag and started walking towards the exit.

Alex did a little jog to catch up. They both looked at each other still smiling. Alex then took a leap of faith and took Piper's free hand. Piper looked at their hands in shock, and then smiled. Piper then intertwined their fingers and continued walking out of the airport towards the car.

Alex smiled and sighed in relief.

Starting over with Piper, a life with Piper. Nothing could make this any better.

* * *

A/N: hope you liked it. Please review!


End file.
